Anyone who has moved before can attest to how incredibly stressful it can be. We have noticed over the years that the clients who are the most organized seemed to have lower stress levels during the actual move. So we're taking the next few blog posts to offer you our ultimate preparation, packing, and moving guide. This month we are focusing on the things you should do before you start packing.
Out with the old.
Remember that time is money when you're hiring movers, so you only want to pay the movers to relocate the things you absolutely need or love. Go through your house to get rid of things you don't use anymore, things that are broken or in disrepair, and things you've kept because you should instead of because you want to. Don't forget clothes, linens, and shoes in this decluttering. And while you're at it, take a looking in your basement, garage, or shed.
Clean the entire house.
Believe me, you'll want to deep clean as well as you can before you start moving—dust, vacuum, or mop throughout the house. Take books off of the shelves and wipe them down. Wipe off picture frames - even if they are hanging on the walls. You might tell yourself that it's no big deal if things are a little dusty when you pack them. Chances are good when you get to your new sparkling place after a long move; you'll regret unboxing less than clean things.
Make a plan for what cannot go on the truck.
All of your beautiful fiddle leaf ferns will need to find another ride to your new house. So will any perishable food or hazardous materials. You might find that it's better to gift or rehome these items, so consider them as you're decluttering. But, if you need to bring them with you, it's a good idea to gather them together, so you'll know what kind of room you'll need in your alternate transport.
Create an inventory.
Take photos of your expensive or fragile belongings. Document your electronics well with a list that includes brands, makes, models, and serial numbers. Store this inventory someplace that you can access it quickly. We suggest a simple composition book to have handy, with a backup list in a cloud-based drive.
Take pictures of anything that needs to be assembled.
Does your home entertainment system have several components? Do you play games on your elaborate gaming setup? Do you have someone in your household who will want (or need) to get something set up quickly? If so, take pictures of everything before you break it down to pack. Take a picture of the back of your tv or receiver or the loft in your child's room. It'll be much easier putting everything together with some good reference points.
Make a note of how you'll move big/awkward items.
Are there items in your house that you struggled to move in? Did you have to get creative when you brought in your couch? Or, are there items that you assembled inside the house that will need to be taken apart? It's important to know what might need to go out the back door and will need to be disassembled before the movers arrive.
Make repairs to your current home.
Go through the house and a repair to-do list for anything that needs to be fixed. This is especially important if you're a renter. (And you can request a move-out checklist from your landlord to build the list.) You will probably miss a few things while your belongings are in your house, but making a list early gives you time to fix easy-to-see items like broken window screens or cracked switch plates.
This list is by no means exhaustive but will give you a good idea of the things you can do before you bring a single box into the house to be packed. If you want to move with one of Florida's highest-rated customer satisfaction moving companies, give us a call at (850) 321-5898 or request a quote. Make your next move, your best move with Experienced Movers.
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